The only context in which I’d heard the term “sun-shirt”, was previously in relation to moms who wrestled to get their kids in one at the beach. They were made of swimsuit material and were more effective than constantly reapplying sunblock. That was until I heard Taylor the Nahamsha Hiker rave about her’s in the vlogs of her 2023 hike on the AT. The one that she wore, and the one I eventually ended up purchasing, was long sleeve, light weight and came complete with a hood. I was skeptical that I could ever be comfortable in a long sleeve shirt in the heat of the summer but I was delightfully surprised. Here are my honest thoughts.
On an incredibly humid day, and in New England we’re used to these so I’m talking VERY humid, this shirt is as torturous as it sounds. I could feel the long sleeves sticking to my skin and on a day like that I’d much rather be in a tank top even if it means applying sun screen. In any other sort of heat, it has been comfortable. I wore it on days that were over 80 degrees quite comfortably.
My favorite feature of this shirt is not its broad spectrum capabilities but rather the hood. It’s terribly buggy near wet areas and bodies of water in NH in the summer, and while I do wear bug spray on my legs and the hat I generally wear, it doesn’t keep the flies from buzzing around my ears. Hats also trap so much heat that, depending on the temperature, it can feel unbearable to wear in the summer. This hood which covers my whole head and which is built to be breathable is the perfect solution.
I purchased my sun shirt from REI. I love buying new gear from them especially because their return policy for a member of the CO-OP is so flexible and if for any reason I don’t like it, it doesn’t fit, or it didn’t work for me I can return it up to a year. This addition is staying right in my closet though. Would definitely recommend to a friend.
REI Co-op Sahara Shade Hoodie – Women’s
The Wild East 